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August 28, 2014

the big Willett tasting part 3 (Family Estate 9-Year Bourbon)

Ok we're past the 2-Year Small Batch, which was delightful, and the solid LDI 5-Year rye. We're still squarely in the camp that the new 2-year is waaay better than the sourced 5-year. Now we're moving on to our first bourbon, and up the age range to the 9-year.

Nose: This is a very candy bar nose with salty peanuts, caramel, cocoa, maybe like a chocolate covered pretzel. We also get some sweet corn pudding and a little mesquite barbecue.

Palate: A square bourbon. Not sure what that means exactly, but that's how it tastes. Very solid lines of sweet, savory, char/smoke, and spirit warmth forming the four sides of a cube.

Finish: The candy bar quality goes right through it to the end. No one reached for water. There's not a ton of finish here, it's just a nice pop of sweet heat and then it's gone. More chocolate, a little smoke at the end. Some little candies, maybe candied mint coming through.

Review

This one is REALLY enjoyable. It drinks like a dream neat at cask strength, no small feat right there. Maybe it doesn't have the wonder of a Pappy Van Winkle or something of that caliber, but it's just so lovable in its own right. Sweet and drinkable and a total powerhouse of cask strength bourbon that will sneak up on you like a dream. Very surprised by how much we liked the 9-year. Great job by Liquor Barn on this pick (and getting this to market at a very reasonable price too!).

Check back tomorrow as we move into the double digits with 10-year bourbon "The Mohawk!".